Brian on WTKA this morning

Submitted by M-Wolverine on

This one had it all...anger...denial....Brian fed up....Brian asking for apologies....Stand Edwards asking for apologies...even 45 seconds of basketball talk....and probably more opinion than we've gotten from Brian since at least Monday. I won't go so far as to say it's juicy, but you can tell there's a lot of emotions out there this week.

10a - Brian Cook and Craig Ross on Michigan football

http://www.wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=9403

10b - Brian Cook and Craig Ross on Michigan football

http://www.wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=9404

11a - Brian Cook and Craig Ross Seg 2

http://www.wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=9405

11b - Brian Cook and Craig Ross Seg 2

http://www.wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=9406

12 - Brian Cook and Craig Ross Seg 3

http://www.wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=9407

michgoblue

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^

This is lame, but my work computer is being changed this week, so I am working on a loaner with no speakers.  Did Brian say anything more than what he has said on this site about the CC topic?

Blue Bunny Friday

December 2nd, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

Says he'd like him to get 1 more year... Would be okay with Harbaugh replacing him.. Wants to see Denard and the rest of the players succeed on their own terms.. RR has assembled a likable group of guys.. Prefers the behavior of the guys that are on the team to the guys who aren't... Agrees with Ross that short-term would probably be better with RR... If you're making changes because of the defense, then you could just change the D coaches.

Other things: If Harbaugh is plan A, then RR is plan B.. wishes Bo were around to go on a rampage against the former players speaking out publicly against RR.. Says Bo would be firmly in RR's corner publicly..

These are not quotes, take it FWIW.

03 Blue 07

December 2nd, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^

Outstanding. As an attorney who sits in court, waiting for his case to be called, I can certainly appreciate reading MGoBlog while in the hallowed halls of justice, though you have to be discreet about what you're reading; I usually furrow my brow so people think I'm doing something professional and important. Wait, MGoBlog is professional and important.

Ziff72

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^

I was going to post this a couple of days ago, but I lost the desire to post.  

Brian and Craig sais they thought the former players actions have been horrible toward RR and Brian wished Bo was alive to kick all their asses, which is the way I have felt for a while.

It seems RR has gone out of his way to connect with the former players, bringing back alumni as captains, doing the Spring Game stuff and Barwis has worked with any former players that have asked for help and all they seem to do is shit on his head.

From the 2nd hand info/rumor mill I have heard the only thing that makes sense to me was that a lot of the former players were in the Miles camp and when Martin went a different direction they were upset so they took it out on RR.  So it wasn't really personal it was just whoever got that seat not named Miles was going to catch heat if they didn't go 12-0.

Stan Edwards did get me fired up though when he said he went and saw Rich to give him some support.

willywill9

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^

Brian and Craig sais they thought the former players actions have been horrible toward RR and Brian wished Bo was alive to kick all their asses, which is the way I have felt for a while.

Seriously, it's like Bo was the one grandparent that seemed to keep the family together, then once he passes, poop hits the fan... aunt sally wants jewelry, uncle charlie wants the mustang, and Uncle Rico... all he wants is some respect, some order... but no... greed, fear, anger over take once beloved relatives.

Eyebrowse

December 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^

I've thought this a lot too.  As someone who lived that situation with family, the metaphor is apt.  It's amazing to think of the past 3 years and look at the fan base.  I can say without hesitation that we might have one of the most infantile fan bases in the country.  It's sad...and yet somehow, inevitable?  I don't know.  At this point in time, Michigan fans make me want to vomit.

LB

December 2nd, 2010 at 1:31 PM ^

I'm tired of arguing. I am tired of listening to the whining. I am tired of hearing people parrot the things they have heard on the radio or read in the so-called media. I'm pretty much reduced to not caring, something I would never have guessed I would feel. 

Indiana Blue

December 2nd, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^

yeah several of us are season ticket holders and some go to as many games as they can, but I never expect anything but outrageous opinions on the boards.  It's great when people actually use facts when they post ... but really that not what makes these blog tick.

What is disgusting is to go to an OSU game at home and see 20,000 osu fans in every freaking section of the Big House.  Or have the "home crowd" boo your kicker and your coach ...  save the insults for the boards "fans" ... the "fans" that sell their tickets and boo their team are worthless pieces of shit !

Go Blue !

saveferris

December 2nd, 2010 at 5:12 PM ^

I can say without hesitation that we might have one of the most infantile fan bases in the country.

That is what has been the most soul-crushing part of this whole ordeal.  I had always assumed that when Michigan's time came for a downturn (which was inevitable) that we as a fanbase would have handled it with more grit.  I had always assumed we were mightier than Sparty or the Buckeyes or the Irish, but the truth is, we're just as soft and weak as we accused them of being when things weren't going their way in the past.  This was our chance to shine as a group and prove we were special and better than everyone else because we could weather the storm with dignity and confidence, but we came up very lacking.

NateVolk

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:52 AM ^

If we were winning a little and/or showing progress against teams these former players are accustomed to beating like a drum, Rich would have lots of support.

The lack of discernible and meaningful progress in those games is what is fueling all this and probably leading to his demise. You will never successfully argue with most fans about yards per play or total yards proving anything that matters in their minds.  Not when you are getting stomped against the big boys even worse then your second year.

That's the reality and we are powerless to stave off the consquences that flow from that reality.

The treatment of Rich was pretty unfair from the beginning, but welcome to the big city as the saying goes.

bluenyc

December 2nd, 2010 at 3:25 PM ^

I like Lutha's response.  But, I have to agree with aaamichfan that her picture isn't the greatest.  But, in person, she was stunning.  Sorry to get off topic.

M-Wolverine

December 3rd, 2010 at 3:18 AM ^

Like many an actress, you're right, she's gotten unappealingly thin. (Dangerously?).  The face is still stunning, but I see those arms and I wonder if I should get her a sandwich.

KinesiologyNerd

December 2nd, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^

The treatment of Rich was pretty unfair from the beginning, but welcome to the big city as the saying goes.

 

Brian's point was people being obnoxious, and using personal attack to justify why they don't want RR. Calling him a jerk, or not a Michigan man, or making shit up about RR. It's fine to dislike how we're performing, but don't be a classless idiot. This is Michigan not New York City.

M-Wolverine

December 2nd, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^

Was Rich's idea, and how much of the Spring Game and Alumni Captains was someone in the Athletic Department's idea, maybe even to try and create continuity? (Unrelated, the Victors Walk was a Athletic Dept. idea, not a Rich idea. Not that that makes it any less or more valuable).  

What I'm saying is, is that we hear the good things...but are there maybe bad things, that aren't getting put out there?  You can come down on the players like Brian did, but maybe they're not all getting along with him, have been rebuffed, or not felt welcome.  Brian puts out a Braylon rumor, just because it sounds like it fits, but we just had published this week rumors that Rich was basically trashing the old regime in Schembechler Hall when he came in (which, by Brian's reasoning is fair, because it's not like Rich hasn't complained publicly about what he was left with...so why wouldn't he say more behind closed doors?).  If true, that certainly wouldn't sit well with the guys who loved and played for Lloyd, and hearing the program they left behind blamed for all our current problems.

I'm not even saying that stuff is true.  But there seems to be an acceptance, around here at least, that every good rumor or story about Rich is true, and every bad rumor is utter hogwash. And I always find it uncomfortable when people call out those who played for the University, and really SHOULD have the most say outside of the Athletic Director and such, just because they write a blog, talk on the radio, or post on a posting board (which would include me for all those getting defensive). I mean "reprehensible", just because the majority now seem to be shifting against the view Rich should stay, comes off as sour grapes.

M-Wolverine

December 2nd, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

http://genuinelysarcastic.blogspot.com/ Post.

The portion that stood out to me, that I mentioned, was this-

Further... many insiders will tell you that Rich was like a bull in a china shop within the walls of Schembechler Hall. While he said the right things publicly, inside he routinely disparaged what he had been left by Lloyd and criticized Lloyd's program, apparently too dense to realize that most of the people still involved with the program were former colleagues and admirers of Carr. He established a tone from the start that all but invited the skeptics to actively undermine him, and he did little to earn the respect that he very much needed from Lloyd Carr. In short: don't portray Rich as merely a victim of a stodgy blueblood establishment. There's plenty of blame to go around for why this marriage didn't work out, and that includes Rich. He had his own "faction".

If that's even a tiny bit true, it wouldn't be crazy to assume some ex-players aren't in love with him, and it hasn't always been an open arm kumbaya moment. (There's a mixed bag of reaction among high school coaches too...some think he's been great...others feel shut out).

M-Wolverine

December 2nd, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^

But there was a "my system will succeed anywhere" arrogance when he came in, and a bit of "I didn't know till I got here what I was left with" stuff that was public when it didn't work out so great, to the media, that rubbed some the wrong way. And my point being that if he's saying that to the press, who are already looking to fry him...what is he saying about how bad it is behind closed doors? One complains more in private than public.  But those "private people" around him at work are mainly people who are program people, not Rich people.  And beyond that, others have said those rumors are not new. Just never put out in such stark contrast.

jmblue

December 2nd, 2010 at 4:53 PM ^

Those rumors have definitely been out there for some time.  To be clear, I don't consider them anything really damning - a lot of previously-successful coaches are going to be pretty confident/arrogant about their own methods.  It's just a little unfortunate that the transition was so abrupt as to rub some people the wrong way. 

jmblue

December 2nd, 2010 at 5:42 PM ^

Because maybe, at this point in his career, Jackson really didn't want to start over in a new place.  And maybe his son still wanted to go to the school he grew up being so close to. 

Some of you guys need to stop seeing things in absolutes.  RR may not have liked everything Carr did, but that doesn't mean he didn't like anything he did.   Obviously, he thought Jackson was worthy of continued employment.

M-Wolverine

December 2nd, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^

But it was on another blog, and well, that's as "published" as what we have here.  A much less reputable blog, I grant you fully. But when it was brought up on here in the thread concerning an article, there was not a lot of reaction, and what there was consisted of "oh yeah, I thought that was common knowledge".  And it's not the first time it's been rumored. But, as my post said, it has at least as much backing as "Braylon's trying to get Rich fired"...and THAT went over the airwaves.  Just illustrating how positive stuff about Rich, or negative stuff about his detractors is assumed to be true, but anything negative about Rich is bunk, around here at least. If you're on the Freep board (dear God, why?!?!) I imagine the opposite is true.

w2j2

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:42 AM ^

I thought Brian was going to keel over when someone mentioned Weis.

I think it was Ira talking about coaches who get sick / injured, but it was close enough to the UM controversy that Brian about sh*t...  

LOL!

tk47

December 2nd, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^

He wrote "The Obscene Diaries of a Michigan Fan", and is awesome.  Very few people in the Michigan fanbase deserve to be regarded as highly as Brian, but Craig Ross is one of those people. 

You're gonna have to go ahead and read that book ... although it's a bit out-dated with all the chaos the football and bball programs have been through since it came out in '05.  God willing, Craig will publish another book before too long.